My husband and I, along with three other couples, just completed the 7-day Mexican Riviera cruise aboard the Norwegian Star. This was our 7th cruise on NCL and the second or third cruise for the other couples. We have been on the Wind three times, and the Dream, Sky and Pearl once each. Check-in, Embarkation and Disembarkation: We drove to the port, since we live only about 6 hours away. A porter took our bags immediately. Embarkation was a breeze; everyone in our group was a Latitudes member, and the processing went very quickly. After checking in, we went to a waiting area and listened for our number to be called, which took perhaps 5 minutes.

Upon stepping on board, we were greeted with a cheery "Welcome aboard," a smile, and a glass of champagne. It was quite early, probably about 12:30 when we boarded, so our rooms were not ready. A crewmember asked us if we would like to store our carry-on bags while we went to have a bite to eat, and we agreed that was a good idea. There was a room where we could check in our bags until our rooms were available. Then he took us to the Versailles Dining Room, where we ate a delightful lunch. The cold Banana and Mango soup was to die for!

After lunch, we were able to occupy our rooms. Our bags were delivered very soon after we arrived in our rooms, so we settled in a bit, awaiting our departure from San Pedro. Read more